The city of Boulder is considering what its energy future will look like. The goal it to acquire "clean, local and reliable" energy in the future, and one voter-approved option is to start a municipal utility. For more information on the history of this decision, click here.

Further information: Commissioners also are inviting public testimony on whether to impose fees on oil and gas companies drilling wells to offset the costs of repairing wear and tear those companies' vehicles are expected to cause county roads. The county staff's report for Thursday's meeting is available online, through a link on the Land Use Department's "Oil & Gas Development" web page, at http://bouldercounty.org/dept/landuse/pages/oilgas.aspx

But county staffers are seeking extra time to get the training and make other preparations they say are needed to gear up for implementing and enforcing new oil and gas development regulations that commissioners adopted last month.

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Those new rules, once they take effect, will replace and update a 19-year-old set of Boulder County Land Use Code restrictions, requirements, standards and conditions about where new oil and gas wells can be drilled and operated outside the boundaries of the county's cities and towns.

They're "a complicated set of regulations that are much different than the regulations the county had been applying to oil and gas proposals in the past," the county staff said in a memo detailing the its recommendation for a four-month moratorium extension.

County commissioners have scheduled a Thursday afternoon public hearing and possible action on giving their staff the additional four months they are seeking.

The Land Use Department has suggested a pre-implementation work plan that would include: hiring consultants or outside experts; training the staff; preparing application materials, checklists, handouts and public information about the new regulations; developing and recommending new planning review and permit fees; coordinating with the Office of Emergency Management and the rural fire protection districts that could be called upon to respond to emergencies at the well sites; setting inspection schedules; updating computer databases and tracking systems; creating a new county oil and gas development web site; coordinating with the oil and gas industry about when applications can be expected to be submitted once the rules take effect; and coordinating with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission "to harmonize" state rules with the county's regulations.

Boulder County officials participated and testified in that state agency's December and January rule making hearings on proposed revisions to state rules about water quality monitoring near oil and gas wells and requiring bigger buffer-zone setbacks between wells and nearby houses and other structures.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hasn't yet taken a final vote on its new setback rules, action that's expected later this month. The county staff has cited that as another reason for the moratorium extension, noting in its memo that once the state agency adopts its new state rules, Boulder County will have to see whether it needs to change its own recently approved regulations to conform to the revised state setback standards.

Thursday's county commissioners' meeting also is to include a public hearing opportunity for people to comment on the board's consideration of setting new transportation impact fees that oil and gas companies might be charged to offset the expense of repairing the wear and tear those companies' heavy trucks are expected to have on eastern Boulder County roads once drilling gets under way.

Ballot language:
In November, Boulder voters narrowly approved two ballot issues related to starting a municipal utility: 2B and 2C. You can read the full text of the ballot language on the city's website.

Issue 2B asked voters to increase the existing utility occupation tax by up to $1.9 million a year. The money from the tax, which will be collected from customers by Xcel Energy, will be used by the city to cover the costs of moving forward with forming a municipal utility, such as more studies and legal fees.

Issue 2C asked voters for permission to actually form a municipal utility. The language allows the city to sell the necessary bonds to take over the current system from Xcel, but it states that the city may only move forward with forming a municipal utility if it can start the utility with rates that are the same or cheaper than Xcel's.

Helpful Links:City of Boulder: This is where the city is aggregating all of its documents, meeting information and updates on Boulder s energy future: bouldercolorado.gov/energyfuture

RenewablesYes: This website is run by the group of volunteers that lobbied local voters to pass a utility occupation tax in November to replace the expiring franchise fee from Xcel Energy. Now, the group is advocating for the city to secure a cleaner, more local energy supply. renewablesyes.org

Xcel Energy: Xcel is the largest utility in Colorado, and it currently provides electricity to Boulder. The city s 20-year franchise agreement with Xcel expired at the end of 2010. xcelenergy.com

Boulder Smart Energy Coalition: A citizen group that supports the city's general energy goals but has concerns about the risks involved with starting a municipal utility. bouldersec.com

SmartGridCity: Xcel Energy has installed a smart grid in Boulder. This web site provides more information on that initiative. smartgridcity.xcelenergy.com

Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities: This Colorado Springs-based group represents the state s 29 municipal utilities, which include utilities based in Lyons and Longmont. coloradopublicpower.org